Railway crossing signal



Jan. 26, 1943. A. LIPA RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Ndv. 5, 194o s Sheets-Sheet; 1

IN vs NT'OR' Attorney Jan. 2 6, 1943.

A. LIPA RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Nov. 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR An toni. (j

Attorney Jim. 26, 1943. A, LIPA 2,309,461

. RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Nov. 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR A n toni. Li. a. 4

Attorney Patented Jan. 26, 1943 RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL Antoni Lipa, Newcastle Greek, New Brunswick,

Canada Application November 5, 1940, Serial No. 364,446 2 Claims. (01. 246-294) This invention relates to improvements in a railway crossing signal and more particularly to the "wig-wag type operated automatically by an approaching train.

The object of the invention is to provide mechanical means positioned adjacent the railway to be actuated by a contact member on the locomotive said means being in turn arranged to actuate one or more wig-wag signals at or adjacent to the railway crossing.

A further object of the invention is to devise such a signal that is mechanically self contained and is not dependent upon any other source of energy but the passing locomotive.

With these and other objects in View that may appear while the description proceeds the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and in which:

Fig. 1 is a general plan view of a railway crossing showing the arrangement of signals.

Fig. 2 is an elevation View of the rail and locomotive attachments.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View of the rail and locomotive attachment.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the crossing signal.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the gong alarm mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a modification of the signal and gong alarm.

Referring more in detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views it will be seen the device consists of one or more signal standards i0, each having a signal arm H, pivotally mounted in the upper end thereof. Said arm is equipped with a plurality of reflectors i2 and may be provided with a balance weight I3, if necessary. The standards may be positioned immediately at the crossing with additional signals or the highway approximately three hundred feet on either side of the crossing.

Operating mechanism is provided partially on the locomotive and partially on the railway track. This consists of a plurality of levers l4, pivoted in support brackets [5, attached to the rail IE, or the tie I1, and spaced equi-distantly at a predetermined interval. A light flexible cable I8, is attached to each of the levers, said cable is fastened to a spring l9, at one end and the spring is in turn anchored to a permanent structure. The cable passes around a grooved pulley 20, mounted adjacent to the rail and extends to the signal mechanism. It may also be attached to the levers above and below the pivotal point as shown. Guide pulleys 2'], as show-n, are mounted in structure of the signal standard VH], and the cable passes around the same to the signal arm. 7

A contact arm .22, .is attached to a convenient place on the locomotive structure, said arm is provided with a lever contact member 23, which is arranged to make contact with the levers M, in succession as the locomotive passes the same. The contact member pushes the top of the lever which moves the cable against the spring tension, the cable motion being in turn transmitted to the signal arm. When the contact member passes over the depressed lever and releases the same the lever resumes its normal position due to the action of the spring. Thus as the contact member encounters the levers one after the other at regular intervals it causes a reciprocating motion to the cable which is transformed to a swinging action of the signal arm.

In addition to the visible signal an audible signal is also provided and comprises a length of steel rail 24, supported in the signal standard. A hammer 25, is mounted adjacent thereto and is caused to strike the rail by the cable mechanism which operates the swinging arm. As shown in Fig. 5, the rail 24, is supported freely on a cross pin 26, supported in the standard. The hammer 25, is mounted on a shaft pivoted on a cross pin 21, likewise supported in the standard. A notched disc 28, is also mounted on the pin and attached to the hammer shaft. A connector arm 29, is loosely pivoted on a pulley 3d, mounted on another cross pin 3|, and is provided with a hooked end 32, which engages the notch 33, in the disc 28. An adjustable weight 34, is attached to the arm in such a manner to keep the same in contact with the disc. The pulley 30, is actuated by the cable 18, which when set in motion as previously described by an approaching locomotive causes the said pulley to partially rotate, this also moves the disc 28, and the hammer by the medium of the arm 29, until the hook escapes from the notch and the hammer falls to strike a blow on the rail. This motion is repeated as the cable moves back and forward.

In Fig. 6, the hammer is shown in the reverse position mounted on a pulley 35, which is actuated in alternate direction by the cable causing the hammer to strike the rail. A supporting frame 35, is also constructed on the standard to support the hammer when in its normal position.

From the foregoing it will be seen I have devised a visible and'audible crossing which is entirely mechanically operated and which is entirely self contained.

It is believed that the construction and advantages of the structure shown may be apparent from the foregoing paragraphs taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings without further detailed desscription.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed it is understood that minor changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of co-operating parts may be resorted to within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A railway signal comprising a standard, a visible signal arm pivotally mounted on the upper end of said standard, an actuating cable extending longitudinally of the standard and connected at one end to said signal arm, a pulley pivotally mounted in said standard in frictional contact with said cable, a disk pivotally mounted in said standard beneath said pulley having a notch in its periphery, a pawl pivotally suspended from said pulley having a hooked end adapted to normally engage the notch of said disk, a weight carried by said pawl adapted to move said pawl into engaging position with the notch of said disk, said disk being released from said pawl when said disk has made a partial revolution, a clapper carried by said disk, and an audible signal positioned in the path of movement of said clapper adapted to be engaged thereby when said disk is released by said pawl.

2. A railway signal comprising a standard, a visible signal arm pivotally mounted on the upper end of said standard, an actuating cable extending longitudinally of the standard and connected at one end to said signal arm, a pulley pivotally mounted in said standard in frictional contact with said cable, a notched disk pivotally mounted in said standard, a hammer carried by said disk, a pawl pivotally attached to said pulley adapted to engage said notched disk to hold said hammer in raised position, and an audible signal adapted to be sounded by said hammer when said notched disk is released and the hammer falls by gravity.

ANTONI LIPA. 

